Braven 650 Review
Among all the bluetooth speaker brands that are available in the Philippines, there are only a few that actually stand out. One of them is the Braven 650 Wireless Speakers. This amazing product not only delivers outstanding audio but it’s probably one of the most handsome portable speakers we’ve ever seen, hehe. It’s also multi-functional. Not only is it an HD Audio Speaker, it’s also a battery charger and a speakerphone at the same time. Boom! Hehe.
Read on for our full review!
Made from quality materials and sports a rugged but cool design
Unlike most speakers in the market today that are mostly made from plastic, the Braven 650 is made from machined aircraft grade aluminum. The cold, smooth, and sleek body truly makes it one of the most handsome portable speakers ever made. It’s also not just for looks though as the body design is made to maximize the audio that you can get out of it. Every in this device is not an accident, all the parts and features are made by design.
At the sides you’ll find the ports and buttons: volume rocker, bluetooth pairing, standard audio jack (line-in), audio jack (line out), on/off toggle, microphone, microUSB (for charging), and a USB port. These set of controls make it a true multi-functional device but I’ll get to those features in a bit.
The Braven 650, despite all the features and the aluminum body, isn’t that heavy. It weighs in at just 360g, making it easy to carry around. However if you’re going to store this in your bag it won’t fit your usual attache. It will also take up a considerable amount of space in your messenger bag. It measures 6.25 in. x 2.5 in. x 1.75 in. (15.9cm x 6.4cm x 4.5cm). Fortunately the box comes with a black carrying pouch so if you want to bring it out of the house you can just store it in the pouch and carry it with you (if there’s no space in your attache or bag).
Multi-functional: Speakerphone, Battery Charger, and Bluetooth Receiver
The Braven 650 also does other things other than being an HD speaker. First, it has a built-in microphone making it a great speakerphone. When you hook this up to your laptop or smart device you can use it during voice or video calls. Next, as I mentioned earlier it has a USB port. You can actually charge your smartphone using the Braven 650! It has a 2,000mAh battery so that’s good enough for a full charge for most phones (but it will drain the battery of the Braven).
Lastly you can use it as a bluetooth receiver for your speakers. Just hook up your non-bluetooth speakers via the 3.5 out port. Cool eh? 🙂
Powerful and clear sound
The Braven 650 features Enhanced APTX Wireless Audio, 2x custom HD audio drivers, and left/right passive sub woofers. This makes sure that you get clear, detailed, and rich sound quality. We’ve been using the Braven 650 now for more than a week and we can definitely attest to this. It easily surpasses a lot of speakers we’ve reviewed in the past (probably the same level in rich audio quality as the foXL V2).
When it comes to the bass, the Braven 650 delivers. I don’t know if it’s because of the subwoofers or how the music vibrates with the body but this thing can really pump out punchy low range bass. Definitely one of the best we’ve seen in such a small form factor!
As for the volume you can crank it up several notches and your tracks won’t get distorted (unless you’re using low quality audio files). This is because of the 6w total output of the two channel speakers in the Braven 650. This can easily fill up a room with crisp, full sound. It’s actually perfect for closed environments like bedrooms, office cubicles, and not-so-big living rooms. Personally I keep the Braven 650 in the bedroom most of the time. I take it out with me in the pouch if ever I have a presentation scheduled that needs audio support.
For connectivity options the usual way is via Bluetooth (the Braven 650 supports Bluetooth 3.0). However if your device doesn’t have Bluetooth or you feel that you get better sound quality via a cable, you can just connect it via the 3.5 line-in port.
Pricing and Availability
The Braven 650 retails for Php8,450. It’s definitely in the higher range of wireless speakers but it delivers on its promise of being a powerful, compact, and portable audio solution. The additional features like the battery charger and speakerphone are also very welcome.
It’s now available in Beyond the Box, Digital Hub, and Digital Walker stores.
Verdict: It’s one of the best but definitely a bit pricey
So now we get to the most important question: should you buy one? Truth be told, Php8,000+ is a lot of money for portable wireless speakers. There are a lot of more affordable options in the market but none of them can come close to the quality of the Braven 650. If you can afford it, then you might want to get one. Rest assured you’ll get one of the very best that you can buy at this price range. 🙂
